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Sign the Petition to

Nick Wiley, Executive Director, Florida Wildlife Commission

We urge you to propose and pass legislation that bans shark finning in Florida to protect sharks from overfishing and extinction. Five states have banned the possession, sale and distribution of shark fins: Hawaii, California, Washington, Illinois, and Oregon. We ask that you take a leadership role and make Florida the sixth state with a shark fin ban.

Signed,

Carly Travers

This petition closed about 2 years ago

How this will help

My cousin Sarah and I started this petition because we wanted to stop the senseless killing of sharks for their fins. We've taken our campaign to the streets of Florida to build momentum for a...

My cousin Sarah and I started this petition because we wanted to stop the senseless killing of sharks for their fins. We've taken our campaign to the streets of Florida to build momentum for a statewide ban. We need your support to help us put pressure on leaders to protect one of the most important species in the ocean.

Between 26 million and 73 million sharks are killed annually for their fins and some shark populations have declined by as much as 90 percent as a result, scientists estimate. The fin is often sliced off the living shark, which is then thrown back into the ocean and dies of blood loss or suffocation. [1] Shark fins are used for soups and medicines but they haven't been proven to have any beneficial effects on people.

"The IUCN Shark Specialist Group considers that shark finning threatens many shark stocks, the stability of marine ecosystems, sustainable traditional fisheries, food security and socio-economically important recreational fisheries". [2] It's a shame that US currently ranks as the 7th largest exporter of shark fins in the world and as a coastal state, Florida plays a key role in helping stop the shark fin trade.

Sharks are killed regardless of sex, age or size. Since many sharks need 10 years to reach reproductive age, populations are declining rapidly. At this rate, in a few decades, there will be nothing left in the ocean but jellyfish if the killing of this apex predator is not stopped. Please help us eliminate this horrific practice in Florida by signing this petition.